Unbroken

Angelina Jolie directed this adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's bestselling book, and the result is visually stunning if occasionally emotionally restrained. Jack O'Connell inhabits Zamperini with a physicality that's impressive — the POW camp scenes are genuinely harrowing, and Miyavi as the sadistic camp commander 'The Bird' is terrifying in his unpredictability. The survival-at-sea sequence is masterfully paced, with the shark attack scene being particularly effective. The Coen Brothers co-wrote the screenplay, which gives the dialogue more bite than you'd expect. Where the film falls short — and this is the big criticism — is in barely touching Zamperini's post-war faith conversion, which was arguably the most important part of his story. The sequel, Unbroken: Path to Redemption, covers that ground, but it feels like a missed opportunity in the original. Roger Deakins' cinematography is gorgeous throughout. As a war survival film, it's excellent. As a faith film, it's incomplete. Watch both for the full picture.